Eutelsat Communications (Paris:ETL) today unveiled the next step in its
broadband strategy for Africa with the order from Thales Alenia Space of
a new-generation High Throughput Satellite offering unprecedented
operational flexibility. To be launched in 2019, the all-electric
satellite will be the first to use Thales Alenia Space's new Spacebus
Neo platform.

Eutelsat’s order of a high-capacity broadband satellite follows its
recent announcement of the lease of Ka-band capacity on the AMOS-6
satellite that will enable broadband services to be delivered in
Sub-Saharan Africa from the end of 2016.

With this follow-on standalone satellite, Eutelsat will broaden its
African footprint, deliver significant resources for broadband services
and set a new benchmark for flexibility in High Throughput Satellites.
By using the all-electric Spacebus Neo platform, that combines high
efficiency and light weight, Eutelsat will also benefit from competitive
launch conditions.

The baseline mission of the new satellite is to provide 75 Gbps of
capacity across a network of 65 spotbeams that together provide
quasi-complete coverage of Sub-Saharan Africa. The satellite will
address direct-to-user consumer and enterprise broadband services using
dishes from approximately 75 cm. It will also be used for community
networks connected to Wi-Fi hotspots, mobile phone backhauling and rural
connectivity.

Eutelsat has the option in the coming months to upscale the satellite to
significantly increase overall throughput and service areas. Eutelsat’s
African broadband business, including sales, will be managed by a newly
created London-based affiliate.

Commenting on the contract, Michel de Rosen, Chairman and CEO of
Eutelsat, said: “We are excited by the opportunity to bring the most
advanced satellite broadband technologies to Africa. With the Spacebus
Neo platform proposed by Thales Alenia Space we can push back new
boundaries in High Throughput Satellites in order to deliver quality and
affordable broadband services in the many countries in Africa where the
drive to increase Internet penetration is a key priority.”

Jean Loic Galle, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space, added: "We
are very proud of our selection by Eutelsat to deliver the first
all-electric Spacebus Neo satellite. Spacebus Neo combines proven
heritage with innovation to offer a fully modular platform with a smart
Ka-HTS payload for unrivalled flexibility and maximum throughput. This
selection reflects the productive teamwork between Thales Alenia Space
and Eutelsat to develop the solution that best addresses user needs and
HTS market expectations. This contract is also a concrete result of the
support by the European and French space agencies for the development of
Neosat as well as by the French Very High Throughput section of the
French Investment Plan called PIA, “Plan d’Investissement d’Avenir”.

About Eutelsat CommunicationsEstablished in 1977, Eutelsat
Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of
the world's leading and most experienced operators of communications
satellites. The company provides capacity on 38 satellites to clients
that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV
operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and
government agencies. Eutelsat’s satellites provide ubiquitous coverage
of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas,
enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be
established irrespective of a user’s location. Headquartered in Paris,
with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a
workforce of 1,000 men and women from 37 countries who are experts in
their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of
service.

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and
Finmeccanica (33%), is a key European player in space
telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, exploration and
orbital infrastructures. Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio form the two
parent companies' “Space Alliance”, which offers a complete range of
services and solutions. Because of its unrivalled expertise in dual
(civil/military) missions, constellations, flexible payloads, altimetry,
meteorology and high-resolution optical and radar instruments, Thales
Alenia Space is the natural partner to countries that want to expand
their space program. The company posted consolidated revenues in excess
of 2 billion euros in 2014, and has 7,500 employees in eight countries.